Driver falls asleep, strikes parked train car

Friday

Aug 15, 2014 at 8:34 AMAug 15, 2014 at 9:39 AM

By Jim.Hayden@hollandsentinel.com(616) 546-4274

A West Olive man was injured Thursday night, Aug. 14, when he feel asleep behind the wheel and struck a parked rail car in Olive Township.Daniel Borgman, 35, refused medical care at the scene and sought his own treatment after the crash at 10:30 p.m. at CHS Hamilton, 13400 Van Buren St., according to the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office.Borgman was northbound in a 1997 Ford Contour on U.S. 31 south of Van Buren when he left the road, crossed the median and the southbound lanes of U.S. 31 then struck a fence and a CHS Hamilton sign, police said. The vehicle continued through the business parking lot then struck a hopper train car loaded with corn.The train car was on a siding at the business, not the main rail line, police said.Borgman’s vehicle suffered major damage. The train car had minor damage.Assisting at the scene were the Olive Township Fire Department and AMR ambulance.